Serving as the host for the first time in their inaugural season, the Cerritos College beach volleyball team split their two matches at Belmont Shores in Long Beach on Friday. The Falcons (3-1) opened the morning with a 4-1 loss at the hands of Mt. San Jacinto College, but responded with a 4-1 win over Riverside City College. Next Thursday the team will travel to Golden West College to take on both the host Rustlers and Ventura College.

In the win over the Tigers, Cerritos opened with a win in the #1 position when the duo of sophomore Jayda Harris-Amete (La Mirada HS) and freshman Leeya Rubio (Schurr HS) posted a straight set win. After holding on for a 21-17 win in the first set, they pulled away early in the second set and registered a 21-13 victory. The #4 pair of sophomore Jenni Solano (La Mirada HS) and freshman Emily Gutierrez (Downey HS) made quick work of their opponents, as they turned in a 21-15, 21-12 win.

The Falcons were able to come away with wins in the two close matches, which secured the team victory. Pairing up for the second time on the day were sophomores Kaydence Portillo (Bell Gardens HS) and Isabella Carrasco (Downey HS), who scored big points when needed. They won a pair of close sets, 22-20 and 21-19, which locked down the team win. Extended to a third set, the duo of freshmen Brisa Cortez (Schurr HS) and Jasmine Soto-Castro (Schurr HS) suffered an 18-21 loss in the first set, but battled back for a 21-14 win in the second set and then earned a 15-11 win in the tie-breaker.

Against Mt. San Jacinto, only Solano and Gutierrez were able to turn in a win, as they posted a 25-23, 21-17 victory in the #4 position. Portillo and Carrasco went three sets as the #5 pair, but came up short, 17-21, 21-13, 8-15.

Photos by Daryl Peterson